Vacuum cleaner



llg- 2 1938 A. ERlKssoN-JONS 2,125,726

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Deo. 28, 1934 25;- j); 23/25 f4 iii-HiN27 5 f6INVENTOR,

BY @www I ATTORNEY.

23 @j w 26 l Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES VACUUM CLEANER AndersEriksson-Jans, Stockholm, Sweden, as-

signor to Aktiebolaget Elektrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation ofSweden Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,494 In GermanyDecember 30, 1933 1 Claim.

My invention relates to electrically operated apparatus and moreparticularly to electric vacuum cleaners.

In electrically operatedapparatus it is common practice to providecontact pins adapted to be engaged by the plug of an electric cable inorder that the cable may be readily disconnected from the device whennot in use. Obviously, it is necessary to electrically insulate thesepins from metallic parts of the device in order to assure that neitherside of the electric circuit become's grounded on the metallic parts.One oi the objects of my invention is to provide improved insulatingmeans i'or contacting pinsof the above type.

It is also often desirablev to have an electric switch associated withthe contact pins and a further object of my invention is to providemeans for preventing the entrance of dust into the switch. This isparticularly important in connection with devices, such as vacuumcleaners, which may be operated in an atmosphere containing abnormalquantities of dust.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, which forms a part of the specification and of which:

- Fig. 1 is a side view. partially in cross-section,

' 30 of a preferred embodiment of my invention applied to a vacuumcleaner:

Fig. 2 is an end view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the deviceshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 35 3-,3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a member shown particularlyin Figs. 2 and 3:and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4. 40Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, reference character I0 designatesthe casing of a vacuum cleaner of the enclosed bag type. Suitablysecured to one end of casing I0 is a ring II which in turn supports aring I2 made of .insulating 4.5 material, such as Bakelite. This ringserves to support an electric motor Il in known manner. Ring I2 isformed with two openings extending from the inside to the outside of thering in which are located conductor members or bars Il. 50 Secured tothe lower end of one of the bars Il is an electric switch I5. Switch I!is provided with an operating lever I6 which extends through an openingI1 formed in ring I2. 'I'he upper end of lever I8 engages within arecess I l formed in -a 55 reciprocally mounted switch operating memberExtending substantially at right angles to the upper ends of members Il`are contact pins 20. .A shield 2I is secured to ring I I by means of abolt 60 22 and serves to surround pins 20. Shield 2| is.v

preferably made of metal in order to resist breakage. An insulatingmember 23 is clamped beand is formed with recesses 2l through whichextend pins 20. Member 23 is also formed with recesses 25 for receivingthe upper ends of members I4. Branch 26 of member 23 extends downwardlybehind members Il and into a recess formed in ring I2. 'I'hus whenshield 2I is brought against member 23 by tightening bolt 22, member 23will be held securely in place and no additional fastening means isrequired. i y

Heretofore it has been the practice to omit insulating material betweenthe pins and the metal shield, reliance being had on maintaining theseparts out of contact with each other. However, if ythe shield becomesbent or the nembers carrying the pins become loose in their support,contact between the parts carrying current and the shield may takeplace. I overcome this possibility by clamping the member 23 vin theposition shown. Moreoven the provision of member 23 prevents access ofdust to the switch I5. This is highly desirable as the presence of dustat'the contact points of the switch is aptto c ause burning when thecircuit is opened.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment lof my invention it is to'beunderstood that this has been done for purposes of illustration only andthat modifications thereof fall within its scope, which is to bedetermined by the appended claim viewed in the light of the prior art.

What I claim is:

member madefof insulating material and having substantially paralleloit-set surfaces joined by an intermediate surface at right anglesthereto, conductor members'extending through saidsupporting member atright angles to said off-set surfaces and disposed against saidintermediate surface. one of said oil-set surfaces being formed withgrooves in alignment with said conductor members, contact pins carriedby said contact members at right angles thereto and disposed in saidgrooves, a shield around said pins, an L- shaped insulating member'separate from said supporting member and having one branch parallel tosaid one of said oli-set surfaces and formed with grooves embracing saidcontact pins, the other branch of said L-shaped member being parallel tosaid intermediate surface and enclosing the portions of said conductormembers disposed thereagainst, and means for clamping said L-shapedinsulating member between said shield and said pins, whereby saidL-shaped insulating member is held in piace.

ANDERS ERIKSSON-JONS.

